Akasa ES Series 450W Power Supply Review

A Closer Look
Once the PSU has been removed from the packaging, we can see that it’s a fairly simple design and hasn’t got any major styling behind it. It sports a bland grey design and is quite small as far as power supplies go. Don’t let the blandness put you off as this power supply is aimed at a niche market for users wanting the no fuss, no frills type of product.

The top of the unit features a sticker label as expected with some bright green text to insist that the unit is “eco-friendly”.

The model number and wattage are printed on this label as well as the voltage table that all power supplies feature. This will give indication on the wattage and voltages used on the unit. The particular unit that we have is a 450 watt model, but other models do exist in the ES range including a 350w, the 450w that we have today, 550w and 600w versions.

The size of the unit is quite compact when comparing to other slightly higher powered units. Due to the unit being aimed at a market of consumers wanting stability whilst remaining affordable, the design has been kept simple whereas the internals still incorporate features found on more expensive, higher end power supplies. These include good efficiency ratings, active PFC and dual 12V rails. Generally these features would be unheard of on a power supply of this rating and price structure.

The rear of the unit features a honeycomb style design to help with heat dissipation. It’s a very simple affair and includes 4 mounting screw points and a toggle switch for turning the unit on and off.

The power supply features a 120mm fan with thermal control which enables self-management of the fan speed. The fan is protected by a standard circular metal grill which keeps airflow to a maximum.

The unit isn’t modular, but that’s not expected on a PSU of this calibre. You will find that all of the relevant cables are needed for the type of system used including PCI-Express power cables. Every cable is shielded using braiding which enables efficient airflow whilst maintain a healthy look in your chassis.